Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Patriotism, safety and one school’s decision to ban flags

We have been flooded with calls, e-mails and comments today about a principal’s decision to ban students from wearing flags on a high school campus. Opinions are as varied as the locations of the writers…some as far away as troops fighting in Iraq. We first aired the story Tuesday night and only minutes later my mother-in-law was on the phone enraged at what she had just heard. The comments haven’t stopped since and probably won’t for a few more days.

Many of the comments we received said the American flag is a symbol of freedom and to ban it was unpatriotic. While others cited rules saying the flag should never be printed on a shirt or other items.

Tonight I had the chance to talk to the Superintendent, Dr. Stewart Hobbs, who told me the principal was acting in good faith to protect students. The school system has worked very hard to keep gangs and gang violence out of schools. Information from law enforcement said gang members were wearing flags from foreign countries as gang symbols. Since gang symbols are banned under the county dress code the principal banned all flags to protect students. To the principal the ban of flags was not an act of patriotism or the lack of it…simply safety. (Late this afternoon the School Board rescinded the ban and say they could come back with new policy and will be looking at ways to maintain order.)

We ask our schools to keep our children safe. We also ask them to instill a sense American pride and patriotism by flying the flag over the school, saying the pledge every morning. Teaching our laws and our freedoms guaranteed to us in the Bill of Rights. This week the balance of patriotism, freedom and safety collide. The question we all must ask of our selves is who should win? is there a balance? how do you decide?

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